


It's Not Survivor's Guilt.

by Chlobliviate



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2018-12-21 03:37:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11935512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chlobliviate/pseuds/Chlobliviate
Summary: Fred is in a coma after the Battle of Hogwarts, Hermione stays by his bedside, much to the confusion of everyone except George and Fleur.





	1. A Long Time Coming.

**Author's Note:**

> From the prompt:
> 
>  
> 
> _“Right now, I don’t know whether I want to kiss you or shove you off a bridge!”_  
>  _"Can I choose?"_
> 
>  
> 
> I own nothing. 
> 
> This could be a stand alone one shot, but I think I'm going to make it a few chapters, let me know in the comments what you think?

Hermione sat next to the hospital bed, head in her hands. 

She’d fought, they’d all fought, and though they had won, they’d all lost something or someone, but she knew that this would be one loss too far. 

She’d stayed right next to Fred Weasley’s bed ever since he was transported to St Mungos. Her only respite was when George came, when she felt ok about slipping away for an hour to shower and eat and change her clothes.

Mrs Weasley didn’t understand, Ginny and Harry certainly didn’t understand, it seemed the only people who did were George, Bill and Fleur. 

After a week of this exhausting routine, Fleur had come and kept her company on one of the days that George wasn’t well enough to make it. Hermione considered making excuses to leave, but she found that the time that she had spent with the older witch to be the most relaxing and easy time since the battle.

“I reemember when my Bill was in ze ‘ospital wing at ‘ogwarts. ‘E was unconscious. I didn’t know what to do wiz myself.” She paused, “‘Ermione, I know we ‘ave never been what you would call friends, but I know ‘ow you must be feeling now, non?”

“You must have been terrified.” Hermione croaked. She realised what Fleur was insinuating, but decided not to confirm it or comment, just in case she was reading into it wrong.

“‘E somehow looked peaceful, as Fred looks now, ‘is beautiful face was a mess and ‘e was in a bad way and Molly was _so_ sure zat I would leave him.” Fleur sighed, “Eet _never_ even crossed my mind to leave ‘im. 'E could 'ave been an actual werewolf and I would 'ave stuck by his side. Mon loulou.” She blinked away tears, shook her head, then looked down at Hermione’s arm. “‘Ow is your arm? It healed ok?”

Hermione rolled up her sleeve to show Fleur the silvery scarring spelling out ‘Mudblood’. She’d found that if she used her left hand to do magic, the scars stung as if they were fresh wounds. After debating for a few moments, she told Fleur this.

“Ah oui, magic scars can do zat, I'm afraid.” She frowned. “I ‘ad hoped with ze ointment it would fade more, but i suppose eet is still new. Give eet time.”

“Thank you Fleur, for everything. You helped us so much.” Hermione found that she was on the verge of tears. 

“‘Ermione, ma petite étoile, you are family to Ron and to ‘arry, so you are family to me. Zat’s what family is for.” Fleur gracefully pulled Hermione into a hug.

“What if he doesn’t wake up?” Hermione sniffed.

“You zink zere is a chance that Fred of all the people, won’t wake up. ‘E is so stubborn, and while zere’s unfinished business, ‘e is going nowhere.” Hermione looked at her, confused. “‘Ermione, you and Fred kissed in ze kitchen at my wedding. I presume zat it was not just a drunken shenanigan, as you say.”

“You know?!” Hermione yelped. “I- we- I mean- Yes, we did and I suppose that it is unfinished business. It felt like it was a long time coming, you know? Like it was something I should have been doing forever.”

“I know what zat feels like, yes. Who else knows?”

“Just Ron, as far as I know. Fred probably told George too, I suppose.” Hermione shook her head, “You and Bill too, now.”

“Bill ‘ad ‘idden a bottle of firewhiskey under ze sink and came to get it but found you and Fred instead.” She laughed softly. “I zink you will be very good together, ‘Ermione. ‘E needs someone to reign him in a bit, and you need someone to make sure you live life fully. You complement one another.”

“We wrote to one another while Harry, Ron and I were on the run, it started off just letting the other know that we were safe and alright, and then it progressed and I guess there was a bit of an undercurrent of flirtation. Ron read one of them once and pretended to vomit, like he could talk, bloody Won-Won.”

“‘Ow did ‘e react? I must admit, I always suspected zat it would be you and Ron together.” Fleur arched an eyebrow.

“He said that Fred was the last one of his siblings he would have thought I would be with, but as long as we both made each other happy, then it was fine by him. It was shortly after he came back from staying with you, and I think he’d had a bit of a revelation about his relationships with Harry and I.” Hermione smiled.

“‘E is a good man. Zey all are.” Fleur smiled, “Fred will pull through, ‘Ermione. L'amour prévaudra.” She patted Hermione’s arm and stood up to leave.

“Fleur, I… I wasn’t very nice to you before you married Bill. I’m sorry if I ever upset you, I wish that we’d talked sooner.” Hermione looked up at her.

“You were young. I was different.” Fleur smiled, “We’ll talk more.”

“I’d like that.” Hermione waved to Fleur as she left, then slumped back in her chair.

The next time she’d seen Fred in person, after the wedding, he was unmoving and pale, he’d been placed in a magically induced coma on the floor of The Great Hall with his family surrounding him. The look that Ron gave her over Charlie and Bill’s heads made her feel as if her heart were breaking.

She and George spent a lot of time together over the following two weeks, if she didn’t already know all of the idiosyncrasies that made both George and Fred unique, she could have kidded herself that she was spending time with Fred. He told her a lot of stories about their childhood, some of the pranks they’d pulled at Hogwarts, then finally asked her when she realised.

“When I realised what?” She looked over at George.

“That you’re in love with Freddie.” His face was neutral, there was no sign of him joking around or teasing her.

“George, I-” She started.

“I figured that’s why you’ve been here all the time. He’s had feelings for you for a while, so I just wondered where you’re at, because he’s going to wake up.” George paused. “When he does, you’re going to be there, and I’d hate for him to get the wrong idea.”

“How long is a while?” Hermione frowned, she had no idea that she hadn’t been alone in her feelings.

“I’d say probably the summer before seventh year, when we stayed with Sirius.”

“That makes sense.” Hermione nodded slowly, “He used to apparate into rooms where I was reading just to make me jump, and he’d stay and talk to me about what I was reading. I was positively perplexed at the time. I thought it was part of an elaborate prank at first but you didn’t seem to be in on it, it was always Fred, and he always stayed to talk.”

“So, when was it for you?” George probed again.

“Around the same time, I guess, it was so refreshing to have someone to talk to about books and life in general. He didn’t have an agenda and he’s so easy to talk to. Then I thought he was just being nice, but I didn’t know why. I was still writing to Viktor when I got to Grimmauld Place, he wanted me to visit him, but the more time I spent with Fred, I realised that while Viktor was a nice person, and obviously a famous quidditch star, we had absolutely nothing in common. When I saw him at Bill’s wedding that confirmed it, he kept talking about his house elves.” George snorted, “Exactly! Then he wanted to dance, but Fred cut in and told him I was needed in the kitchen, and the rest is history.” She shrugged, “I never thought that Fred’d reciprocate my feelings though, so I never told anybody, not even Harry or Ginny.”

“Which is why they don’t understand why you’re here all the time.” He nodded, “That makes more sense. They think you feel some kind of survivors guilt.”

“I presume he told you about Bill’s wedding.” 

“Of course he did. He wouldn’t shut up about it. For weeks all I hear was ‘She kissed me back, Georgie, it was phenomenal, her hair was so soft, her lips tasted like chocolate, should I owl her?’” George smiled at her. “Then when you replied to that first owl, you’d think he’d been presented with an Order of Merlin or something.”

“Harry and Ron couldn’t understand why Fred, of all people, was writing to me. At first I told them it was so we knew everyone your end was ok, and vice versa.” She sighed, “Ron figured it out eventually, he actually said he would have put me with Percy or Ginny before he put me with Fred, but he’s ok with it. Part of me worried that because people had this expectation for Ron and I, that he would be angry or upset. He’s a very good friend. He didn’t even tell Harry, and Harry, being Harry, didn’t notice.”

“For someone who defeated a dark lord, he’s so oblivious.” George laughed. “I have to admit that when Fred first told me, I couldn’t see it ever working out, but he seemed to be happy with the time that he spent with you, so I wasn’t about to piss on his cornflakes.”

“When we got back to school though, everything went back to the way it was before. Ron, Harry and I, and you two and Lee. The only times I saw Fred were DA meetings and when I had to stop you testing on first years, I swear.” She shook her head, laughing.

“He bet ten galleons for you to beat Ron at duelling in the third DA meeting.” George yawned, “I know he missed spending time with you, but he didn’t know if you’d want that, now that you were back at school.”

“I wish he’d told me.” 

“I wish I had too.” A voice behind them made them both jump. Fred was awake and grinning. “So you can go back to talking about how much ‘Mione loves me whenever.”

“How much did you hear?” George’s grin matched his brother’s.

“Enough.” The grin became a smirk.

“Right now, I don’t know whether I want to kiss you or push you off a bloody bridge!” Hermione rose to her feet, her body aching from the plastic hospital chair that no cushioning charm could help.

“Can I choose?” Fred winked at her.


	2. Rabbit in Streetlights.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't really know where to go from the last chapter so most of this is a flashback, I'm going to find another prompt to write the next chapter with so I'll hopefully find it a bit easier to write and it'll be a quicker update. I've somehow ended up with 6 fics on the go at the moment too, so we'll see how long it takes for me to update again, but hopefully not too long.
> 
> I own nothing :)
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

_“May I ‘av zis dance, ‘Ermione?” Viktor, who had just spent the last ten minutes waxing lyrical about his house elves and how much nicer than The Burrow his house was, had extended a large hand to Hermione, who just stared at it, looking less than impressed._

_She froze before a familiar voice cut in, “‘Mione, there you are! Where on earth have you been? I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Sorry to interrupt Vicky, there’s a bit of a situation in the kitchen, and Hermione's heavily sought after presence is required.” Fred couldn’t help but shoot Krum a subtle dirty look._

_“What situation? What have you and George done now? Your poor mother! Sorry, Viktor, maybe later.” Fred was already dragging Hermione away from a mutinous looking Krum. They reached the kitchen, and Hermione looked around at the seemingly empty room. “Well?”_

_“‘_ Thank you, Fred _.’ Is what you mean, I think.” Fred leant on the kitchen counter. “‘_ Thank you for saving me from the groping hands of Bulgaria’s finest _.’”_

_“Really, Fred?” Hermione rolled her eyes. “I could have handled that on my own.”_

_“I don’t doubt it for a minute, but what kind of knight in shining armour would I be if I didn’t jump in where I saw an opportunity?” He flashed her a grin. “Besides, you looked like a rabbit in streetlights when I got there.”_

_“Headlights.” Hermione said quietly._

_“What?”_

_“It’s rabbit in the headlights, or deer in the headlights. The lights at the front of a car.” Hermione smiled at him, softly. “Thank you Fred.”_

_“You are most welcome.” He bowed deeply, causing her to snort._

_“So, there’s no situation?” She looked around, half expecting George to jump out, missing his other ear._

_“Nope, unless you consider me a situation.”_

_“I consider you_ something _, that's for sure.” She laughed. “He kept bragging about his house and how many house elves he has, I was- I just- Why?”_

_“I hope you plan to pin an S.P.E.W badge on him and whack one of those incredible woolly hats on his head.” Fred winked at her._

_“If you can call them hats. I never quite got the hang of knitting. A scarf, maybe…”_

_“Don’t be modest, they were truly_ art _.” Fred held out a hand to her. “May_ I _have this dance, Hermione?”_

_Hermione flushed slightly, “What dance? There’s no music in here.”_

_As if he’d already predicted her answer, Fred pointed his wand at the radio on the windowsill which began blaring a Celestina Warbeck song causing them both to start giggling, thinking of Mrs Weasley. He turned the volume down slightly and held out his hand once more._

_She rolled her eyes before placing her hand in his and allowing him to move them slowly around the room, narrowly avoiding the kitchen table. “You’re actually a pretty good dancer.” Hermione remarked._

_“I’ve moved on from the amount of toes that I trod on at the Yule Ball, definitely. Some of that was deliberate, though.” Fred smirked as he dipped her dramatically next to the sink. Her eyes were wide and she could feel her heart hammering in her chest. “You okay?” He breathed. She nodded as he brought her back up. He paused for a moment before pressing his lips to hers softly. He moved away, nervously, waiting to see if she was going to hex him but she tiptoed slowly and kissed him._

_They stared at one another, and everything suddenly made sense. Why she’d put up with him apparating around Grimmauld Place, making her jump, why she’d always been sure to come over and check they weren’t using first years as guinea pigs, even when they had no new products to test, why he’d lingered after DA meetings and why, the previous Christmas, that he’d seemed particularly put out that she didn’t visit him when they’d all trekked to Diagon Alley to pick up presents._

_“You ok?” She asked. He nodded, “I probably shouldn’t have done that. I’m leaving soon, I don’t want you to-”_

_“Is this the mysterious adventure that you, Harry and Ron are embarking on? The reason mum’s kept you separate for as long as she can?” She nodded, “I see.”_

_“I could…” She shook her head._

_“You could…?”_

_“It’s stupid, I was going to say that I could write to you, but you’ll have much better, more important things to do than-” He cut her off by kissing her again. “Fred!”_

_“If I’m not going to see you for ages, I’m going to take advantage of the fact that you’re here now. I will also be extremely offended if you_ don't _write.” His grin was contagious._

_“You’re incorrigable.” She traced his cheekbone softly before quirking an eyebrow at him, “I didn’t say I wasn’t ok with it.”_

_“Oh! Oh, okay!” Fred laughed before leaning down and kissing her again. He spun her around and lifted her onto the kitchen counter, which made the height difference less of an issue. When Bill snuck in ten minutes later that’s how he found them, trading kisses and soft laughter._

***

Hermione flew at the bed and wrapped her arms around Fred who squeezed her equally tight. A loud beeping sound flooded the room causing a mediwitch to poke her head in the room, and on seeing Fred conscious called loudly for the head healer. George asked if she could contact his mum, not wanting to leave the room in case something happened to his brother while he was gone. Hermione offered to do it, but neither of the twins would let her leave either.

The head healer ran multiple tests, while Hermione and George watched. George was holding Hermione’s hand tightly, now knowing how much this meant to them both. Fred attempted to make jokes but gave up after Hermione and his brother failed to even crack a smile. Molly and Arthur showed up, flushed and already crying. Molly broke down into sobs upon seeing Fred’s beaming face. Fred just seemed more and more bemused at the reaction of his family. The rest of the Weasleys trickled in until the whole family was there. Fleur shot Hermione a subtle, yet knowing, wink and Bill was definitely smirking to himself.

“Mr Weasley, your body has attempted to heal itself while you were in a coma. It’s done a lot of the work, but there is still steps to be taken to get you back to full health. Your joints and muscles will be particularly weak, and you’ll find that you get tired a lot easier due to the spell damage. This may be temporary, but we’d like to keep an eye on you with weekly appointments to start with.” 

“You mean I can go home?” Fred asked, surprised.

“I’d much rather you came back to the Burrow, Fred. There’s more people to help you, and it’s less pressure on George.” Molly spoke up, surprising everyone.

Fred appeared to think it over for a moment before making eye contact with Hermione. “I’ll come back for a while, Mum. Only until I’m better, though.”

“I think that’s for the best, Mr Weasley. A good support network is vital. But I can already see that won’t be a problem in this case. A consultant healer will be in to see you later this afternoon to talk you through medication and supports, but after that, you are free to leave.” The healer smiled broadly at Fred.

“I can go today?” Fred's eyes were wide. "Like, actually today?"

“I’ll floo back home and make your room up, Fred, dear.” Molly turned and briskly walked from the room.


	3. This will do perfectly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not really sure where this story is going but I'm kinda enjoying it so I hope you are too!
> 
> I don't own anything recognisable :)
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, comments and bookmarks :D

“Wait, how long was I out for?” Fred looked suddenly puzzled. He seemed to be the only one injured and nobody else was wearing the clothes they had been wearing at the battle. He started to panic.

“Just over three weeks. 23 days to be precise. Tell me, Mr Weasley, is there anything you’re struggling to remember?” The healer waved his wand across Fred’s forehead, running further diagnostic spells.

“I don’t know.” Fred shrugged, “I suppose I won’t know until I know what I don’t know. You know? Oh, no, wait! Shit! Did we win the war? What happened to No-nose? Is everyone else ok?”

George, Harry and Charlie let out spluttered laughter at the amount of time it had taken for him to ask about the war. Bill explained, “Yes, Voldemort was defeated. Harry died technically, but we won.”

“Wait, you _died_?” Fred said in awe.

Harry shrugged, looking embarrassed as he held Ginny’s hand tightly, “Yeah, well, it didn’t stick.”

“Did anyone else…?” Fred asked uncomfortably.

“Lupin, Tonks, Colin from DA, Lav-Lav, y’know, Ron’s ex, the annoying one-”

“George, don’t speak ill of the dead!” Mr Weasley frowned.

“She _was_ annoying, though, Dad.” Ron sighed. “It’s still awful what happened…”

“We lost quite a lot of people, but we won. It’s over.” Hermione said quietly. The silence was heavy in the room as Fred took the news in. 

“So what happens now?” He asked eventually.

“It’s been three weeks and I still have no idea.” Harry laughed. “I’m planning to go and help rebuild Hogwarts as soon as Professor McGonagall announces her plans.”

“Headmistress McGonagall.” Hermione smiled. “I think I want to go back to school when it re-opens.”

“I’d expect nothing less from the brightest witch of her age.” Fred nodded, his smile matching hers. “I’d like to help rebuild Hogwarts too, I think, as soon as I can. You know with the…” He gestured vaguely at his body.

“You need to focus on getting your health back.” George looked serious all of a sudden.

“It’s my top priority, Georgie.” He reached for his brother’s hand and held it tight. “You won’t get rid of me _that_ easily.”

***

“So, I heard you spent every waking moment at my bedside.” Fred sat down beside her on the sofa. George and Ron were already back trying to fix up Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes in order to open before term started. Ron had moved into the flat above the shop, and Fred back into his and George’s room at The Burrow. Harry and Ginny were spending every waking moment together, and much to Hermione’s relief, every sleeping moment together, in Harry’s room. 

“You heard wrong.” She laughed at his crestfallen expression, “I slept there a lot too.” She smiled at him, nervously. “I _needed_ to be there when you woke up, and then, typically, when you did wake up I didn’t notice for ages because I was having a heart to heart with George.”

“It was nice for the first words to hear to be you and George chatting about my childhood. Then the conversation that followed it…” Fred exhaled sharply.

“Oh Merlin.” Hermione put her head in her hands.

“Hey, no pressure.” Fred’s smile dropped slightly. “I’m not proposing or suggesting we elope or anything, just…” He let out a huff of air, “When we’re both feeling a bit more human, would you be okay if I asked you out on a date?”

Hermione beamed at him, “I think I would be very okay with that, Fred.”

“Ok, good. In the mean time, I would very much enjoy the pleasure of your company, as your outrageously attractive friend.”

“You’re too modest, Fred. Though, I can certainly arrange that.” Hermione rested her head on his shoulder and picked up the book she had set aside when he’d joined her. “Anything in particular you had in mind?”

He stretched his arm around her gently and closed his eyes, “This will do perfectly.” 

***

_There was a loud ‘pop’ and Hermione jumped. She didn’t look up from her book, she didn’t need to. The dark, barely comfortable sofa sunk next to her and then a face was very close to her own. She sighed and looked at him. This was the fifth time this week that he'd found her in Grimmauld Place, and it was only Wednesday. She'd started choosing obscure places to read, to see if he'd still find her. He always did._

_“Good Afternoon Fred.”_

_“It certainly is, Hermione. Not for Georgie so much, he walked in on Sirius and Remus groping one another and he’s a tad bewildered.” Fred leant back on the sofa, stretching out fully._

_“They’re certainly not as inconspicuous as they used to be, are they?” Hermione smiled, she had an inkling from the moment she’d seen the two men together that they had been more than just friends._

_“You knew?” Fred looked aghast. “I thought I was bringing you the finest gossip!”_

_“I suspected.” Hermione picked up her book again. “You just confirmed my suspicions.”_

_“Gives you hope, doesn’t it?” He said, softly, after a few minutes of silence._

_“Hmm?”_

_“One’s a werewolf, the other’s an escaped convict and they’ve still found love. Better love story than the one you’re reading now, I bet.”_

_“Fred. This is Pride and Prejudice, there is no better love story. I am thrilled for Remus and Sirius, but if you insult my book again-” She picked her wand up from the coffee table._

_“You can’t use magic yet.” Fred still looked a little nervous._

_“You’re right, but I _can_ still poke you in the eye with my wand.” She smiled at him innocently._

_“You’re truly terrifying, you know that?” He grinned, “Tell me about it, then.”_

_“Tell you about what?” She looked confused._

_“The marvellous work of fiction in front of you, of course.”_

_“You want to know about my book?” She stared at him. “What’s the catch? Have you jinxed it? Oh, Fred please don’t jinx my books, leave something sacred!”_

_“I haven’t jinxed your book I promise. I just want to know what your idea of the best love story ever written is.” He winked._

_“Why don’t you read it then?” Hermione held it out to him._

_“But you’re reading it.”_

_“I’ve read it more than ten times, Fred. If you want to read it, go ahead.” He took the book from her suspiciously._

_“Are you sure _you_ haven’t jinxed this book?” He narrowed his eyes._

_“It’s _my_ book.”_

_“You turned yourself into half a cat once, Hermione. It’s hard to know how far you’ll go.”_

_“Which one of them told you?” Hermione’s face was stormy. “I’ll hex them so badly they won’t be able to sit down for a month.” She stood up, prepared to go after Ron or Harry._

_“Hey, hey!” He pulled her back down to the sofa, “Neither of them did, I was in the hospital wing when they rushed you in. I’d shattered my kneecap falling off the canopy of my bed and was waiting for it all to fuse back together. You looked …” He paused._

_“Hilarious?’ She suggested haughtily._

_“No, that’s not it.” He shrugged, “Anyway, this could all be an elaborate ruse to convince me that you haven’t jinxed this fine piece of literature by… Jane Austen.”_

_“I guess you’ll have to read it and find out. You’re too curious not to.”_

_“Well you know me, I’ll do anything to impress a pretty witch.” He winked at her before opening the book and reading the first sentence. “So you’re saying when George and I are extremely rich inventors that we will suddenly be needing wives?”_

_“Thats certainly what Jane Austen is insinuating.” Hermione was staring at Fred, waiting for the prank or joke but it never came. She watched him read for almost an hour._


End file.
